Guard for garment hanger



J n.14,1958- T. F. G'ENSMER HAL 2,819,829

' GUARD FOR GARMENT, HANGER Filed March 11, 1954 THEODORE E GENSMER Deceased, by ORV/LLE T. GENSMER DUDLEY C KLEIST ATTORNEYS United States GUARD FOR GARMENT HANGER Application March 11, 1954, Serial No. 415,627

2 Claims. (Cl. 223-98) This invention relates to improvements in guards to be applied to garment hangers for supporting garments and the like thereon.

A principal use of garment hangers used in conjunction with the present invention is to carry garments from cleaning and pressing establishments. In cleaning and pressing establishments garments usually are subjected to pressure in the presence of steam, and immediately thereafter are placed on hangers intended to maintain the shape of the garments until dry. The fibers of the steamed cloth are soft and plastic, and readily conform to any sharp edge or contour of the hanger bar or guard upon which they are hung. It is important that the guard have a garment supporting surface of a maximum possible width and be so shaped that a garment carried thereon will engage only rounded surfaces to prevent said garment from being creased. It is important also that the guard be made of relatively light-weight material to minimize the cost of manufacture and yet have sufficient strength transversely thereof to maintain a garment supporting surface of the maximum possible width by preventing collapse of the guard around the horizontal bar of the hanger under weight of a garment.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved guard which may be mounted on the horizontal bar of a garment hanger and which provides a generally rounded article supporting surface of maximum possible width and relatively great strength with a minimum amount of material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger guard constructed of relatively light cardboard, but employing in its construction for longitudinal reinforcement the principles embodied in a channel beam.

Another object is to provide a guard in which the longitudinal edges of the guard are turned inwardly from rounded side walls far enough to be out of engagement wihh a garment supported thereon.

Another object is to provide a guard with longitudinal corrugations which serve as friction means to keep a garment from sliding off the hanger, as well as to provide longitudinal reinforcement for the guard.

Another object is to provide a guard having a plurality of grooves in the undersurface of said guard, said grooves creating corresponding ridges in said garment supporting surface and serving the dual function of providing transverse and longitudinal reinforcement for the guard and friction means for restraining accidental slipping of the garment from the guard.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger guard having an embossed garment supporting surface providing combined means for reinforcing the guard and for resisting accidental displacement of a garment therefrom.

Other objects are to provide a guard for a garment hanger which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in use, and which is easily applied to the horizontal bar of a garment hanger.

atent ice The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred forms of the device. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may take still other forms, and that all such modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims, which will occur to persons skilled in the art, are included in the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a guard mounted on a garment hanger and having structure utilizing the principles of a channel beam for longitudinal reinforcement;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of one form of conventional type of guard for garment hangers;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a guard embodying one form of the present invention, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a garment hanger guard having an embossed garment engaging surface providing combined means for reinforcing the guard and for resisting accidental displacement of a garment therefrom;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of embossed garment engaging surface embodying the invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of embossed garment engaging surface embodying the invention;

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view of a garment hanger guard of the type shown in Figure 1 having longitudinal grooves in its upper surface providing longitudinal reinforcement for the guard and friction means for restraining accidental slipping of the garment from the guard; and

Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of a garment hanger guard of the type shown in Figure 1 showing a modified form of longitudinal reinforcement and friction means.

Generally speaking, the guard in cross section rep resents a segment of a circle, with the edge portions of the strip of material inturned substantially in the plane of the chord of the segment to insure their being out of engagement with a garment supported on the guard. Intermediate the inturned edge portions and the supporting surface are arcuate side walls which are tangential to both the supporting surface and the edge portions. Stated differently, the edge portions constitute flanges which may be said to be inturned on a chord from an arc which is tangent to both the supporting surface and the chord. The structure thus provides a supporting surface of maximum possible Width and of relatively great longitudinal strength, While utilizing a minimum of material for strength imparting purposes.

Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown a common type of wire garment hanger 10 having a hook fill and laterally extending shoulder supporting portions 12 connected together by a horizontal cross bar 13. The shoulder portions 12 are for carrying articles such as dresses, coats and the like, and the horizontal bar 13 is for carrying articles such as trousers and skirts.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View of a conventional guard 15 applied to the horizontal cross bar 13 of a garment hanger 10. The guard 15 has longitudinal edges 16, and a disadvantage of this type of guard is that the longitudinal edges 16 of the cardboard tend to cling to a garment as the garment is put on or taken olf the hanger, the

3. garment tending to pull the guard from the hanger bar. If the guard is anchored to the ends of the bar 13, as by slots 17, Figure 1, it will be subjected to a twisting or warping action applied when a garment e-atghes on the edges at times of movement of the garment relative to, the hanger.

In Figure 3, there is shown in .cross section a guard 20 embodying features of the present invention and utilizing the principles of a channel beam construction for longi-. tudinal reinforcement. This guard has a garmentsupporting surface 21 which, in cross section, is arcuately shaped to provide a non-creasing support for a garment. To facilitate fitting the guard on the bar- 13 andfurther to prevent the guard from rotating thereon, the guard is provided with slots 22 cut in the endsof the gament supporting surface 21 and which engage the upwardly curved ends of the horizontal bar 13.

The arcuate garment supporting surface 2-1 is conjoined tangentially with rounded sidewalls 23, and the side walls 23 are conjoined tangentially with inturned flanges 24. whereby the longitudinal edges 25 of the guard are disposed out of possible engagement with a garment hanging on the guard. The rounded side walls 23 between the flanges 24 and the article supporting surface 21 provide a stiffening effect similar to that provided by the webs of a pair of channel beams whose upper flanges are extended and conjoined to make a unitary structure. The rounded side walls or web portions prevent the garment from being creased at the place where it leaves the hanger, even if placed on the hanger when taken directly from the steam press. The edges 25 are turned sutficiently inwardly so that they will not be engaged by a garment being put on or being removed from the hanger; and it is also within the purview of this invention to provide a rounded portion 26 between the flanges 24 and the longitudinal edges 25. to provide further longitudinal stiffening reinforcement in addition to the reinforcement provided by the rounded side walls 23 and supporting surface 21.

In addition to the longitudinal reinforcement for the garment hanger guard provided by the rounded portions, as hereinbefore described, the garment supporting surface of the guard is embossed to provide transverse and longitudinal reinforcement, as well as to provide frictional elements for resisting accidental displacement of a garment therefrom. The guard construction shown in Figures 4 and comprises an arcuate garment engaging surface 21', inturned flanges 24; and rounded side wall portions 23 conjoined with the surface 21' and flanges 24'. The combined frictional elements and additional reinforcement means comprises a plurality of diagonally intersecting grooves 2'7 in the undersurface of the guard for reinforcing said guard in a transverse as well as in a longitudinal direction. Said grooves create corresponding ridges 28 in the article supporting surface 21'. The grooves 27 and ridges 28 are formed in the guard by any suitable means such as by dies which press the desired design into the supporting surface of the guard when the guard is being formed. The portions of the guard extending on either side of the bar 13 are thereby sufficiently stiffened so that the guard will not collapse around the horizontal bar of the hanger under the weight of an ordinary garment but provide the widest possible support for the garment, and the arcuate garment engaging surface will maintain substantially its original rounded shape to prevent freshly pressed clothes from being creased.

The diagonal ridges 28 provide frictional elements in a garment engaging surface and have rounded top surfaces to prevent creasing or putting sharp lines into the garment. While not positively gripping the garment, as would be accomplished by sharpened points or the like, enough frictional gripping force is provided to resist accidental displacement of the garment from the hanger guard.

The embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7 is similar to the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5 except that the ro 2 a g s ,8, re mo cl e y spared 2 :9- vide additional reinforcing and garment holding means.

Another form of guard having combined transverse reinforcing means and frictional elements as garment holding means is shown in Figures 8 and 9. In this embodiment the arcuate supporting surface 21" is provided with transverse corresponding grooves and ridges 30 and a plurality of raised beads 31 between said ridges. The grooves which correspond with the ridges 30 provide transverse stiffening of the guard so that the guard; will maintain its rounded shape when carrying a garment thereon and also provide some frictional engagement for garment thereon. Upstanding beads 31 provide frictional engagement of the garment and resist accidental dis; acement of the garment from the hanger, the ridges ant .reads being rounded on their top surface to prevent creasing the garment.

In Figure 10, there is shown in cross section a guard of the one shown in i u des nated. e a ly by the numeral 33. This guard has a garment supporting surface 34 which, in cross section, is arcuately shaped to provide a non-creasing support for a garment. The sure face 34 has one or more longitudinal grooves, 2 5 therein, at least one such groove being on each side of the longi: tudinal center line of the guard, each of said grooves, providing a shouldered contour 36 on each side of the groove which constitute friction elements between the gaifment and the guard. These shouldered contours or ridges tend to restrain garment from sliding off the guard, whereas the grooves serve the function of providing longitudinal reinforcement for the guard, whereby the guard may be made from relatively light cardboard at very little expense, and yet provide support for relatively heavy garments.

Flanges 38 project inwardly from rounded side walls 37, whereby the longitudinal edges 39 of the guard are disposed out of possible engagement with a garment hangingon the guard. Rounded side walls 37 are provided between the flanges 38 and the article supporting surface 34. to provide a stiffening effect similar to that describedin connection with the guard shown in Figure 3. The rounded side walls or web portions prevent the garment from being creased at the place where it leaves the hanger, even if placed on the hanger when taken directly from the steam press. The edges 24 are turned sufficiently inwardly so that they will not be engaged by a garment being put on or being removed from the hanger.

Figure 11 shows another form of guard designated. bythe numeral 41. This embodiment is similar to. this em: bodiment of Figure 10 in having an arcuate garment sup; porting surface 34 but differs therefrom in that a pair of grooves 35, having shouldered contours or ridges 36, form between them an inverted channel 42 to receive the hori; zontal bar 13. The ridges 36 and web 43 of the crossbar channel also serve as friction means, as previously described for restraining the garment from sliding, as well as to serve the further function of reinforcinglthe guard longitudinally and holding the guard in a fried position relative to the bar. This embodiment also has the, rounded side Walls 37 and the inwardly extending flanges, 3.8..

The longitudinal grooves above described, while, serving as friction means to hold the garment on the guard, will not crease or wrinkle the garment carried because the garment rides over the grooves and does, not sag there-. in due to the weight of these portions of the garment hang: ing from the supporting surface.

Having now described our invention and in what man,- ner the same may be used, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1-. A guard for supporting trousers and the like on a cross bar of a garment hanger, comprising an elongated strip of semi-rigid sheet-material such as cardboard'having an unbroken arcuate garment supporting surface less than in arcuate extent, longitudinal edge portions of said strip being inturned toward each other forming fiat stiffening fianges disposed in a common plane, and a plurality of projections embossed in said arcuate supporting surface of the strip having smooth surfaces presented for frictional engagement With a garment thereon.

2. A guard for supporting trousers and the like on a cross bar of a garment hanger, comprising an elongated strip of semi-rigid sheet material such ascardboard having an unbroken arcuate garment supporting surface less than 180 in arcuate extent, longitudinal edge portions of said strip being inturned toward each other forming flat stiffem'ng flanges disposed in a common plane, and diagonal stiffening ridges embossed in said arcuate supporting surface of the strip in criss-cross pattern projecting from said supporting surface without creating a break in said surface, to frictionally engage a garment thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,174 Zetlin Ian. 8, 1935 2,510,043 Tillery May 30, 1950 2,574,860 Coffin Nov. 13, 1951 2,585,715 Youngblood Feb. 12, 1952 2,653,740 Tufts Sept. 29, 1953 2,655,296 Winzer Oct. 13, 1953 

